Conversions off the WYD inter-faith agenda

Sydney Muslim leaders have offered to open their mosques and schools to
World Youth Day pilgrims while the Catholic Church has given a
commitment not to try to convert WYD volunteers of other faiths.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the Muslim leaders made the offer as the Catholic Church seeks to ease tensions between the two faiths.

The
Australian Federation of Islamic Councils is also considering staging
mixed-faith sporting competitions and mosque open days for the largest
religious gathering to be staged in Australia, which will bring Pope
Benedict here for the first time.

The Catholic Church has given
a commitment that it will not try to convert members of other religious
denominations taking part in inter-faith forums and volunteering
facilities.

It is also calling for 8000 people, including those
of other faiths, to volunteer for the largest Catholic event on the
2008 religious calendar. There will be roles in areas including
operations and crowd management, customer service, language and
translations, staffing, hospitality and catering, accommodation,
production, communications, liturgy and evangelisation.

Fifteen
Islamic religious and community leaders, including Sheik Shady
Suleiman, representing the Lebanese Muslim Association, and the leaders
of four Muslim schools, were briefed by the Catholic Church on Monday.

The
olive branch comes almost a year after Pope Benedict provoked Islamic
fury when he quoted an obscure medieval text which criticised some
teachings of the prophet Muhammad as "evil and inhuman".

The
president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, Ikebal
Patel, said Sydney's Islamic leaders had responded positively to the
overtures of the Catholic Church and saw World Youth Day as an
opportunity to "break down barriers" between the two faiths.

Some
mosques would be willing to open their doors to inter-faith forums, and
could even invite Catholics to Friday prayers. At least four or five
schools present at the meeting would be willing to offer their school
halls for boarding.

"I think as Muslims in Australia we want to
demonstrate very positively we are part of the community. There is not
inherently that much difference between Islam and Christianity and this
is an opportunity to educate the general community and Christian faith."